Hill-walking - Training - Runner's World

Claire Porter

22/10/2002 at 20:49

On average, once a week I go hill-walking, because I love this as much as running.
The trouble is, how do I count it, when working out how much training for running I am doing? A hill-walk/scramble for me will be say 5-7 hours pretty intensive climbing/descending where for half of it, I am at least as breathless if not more, as when running on my easy runs. I used to count it as a rest day, but the fact is, I commonly feel like a rest day to recover from my hill-walking!
I am training for a 10K in December, and for example will spend 2 days hill-walking this week. Can I count it as equivalent to running miles in any way? - it certainly will put a limit on my running mileage for this week.

Pizza Man:-)

22/10/2002 at 21:17

If your heart rate stays above 55% of your resting heart rate & below 70% and you are not in this zone for more than an hour, then I'd say it was an easy sesion. If your heart rate goes above 75% for long then your moving into a "steady workout".

From what you say above. I'd say that the session you do of 5-7 hours with your heart rate rising & falling all over the place is a hard session & certainly not a rest day and you're dead right to take a rest day following it.

Nessie

24/10/2002 at 11:36

There was a post on the Loch Ness Marathon thread from a girl who had run the race in (I think) 4 hours-ish, from 4 weeks specific training, on top of lots of hillwalking. Sounds fairly conclusive to me that its a great help in building stamina. Having done a fair bit of hillwalking myself, I think your heart rate will be well over the 70-75% mark on anything other than gentle slopes, and downhills does strengthen the quads a lot! I would guess (and it is a guess) that you could think of a 5 hour hill walk as being roughly equivalent to at least a 2 hour steady run.

Bootie

24/10/2002 at 12:03

Claire,
Where abouts do you go hill walking?, I need to get out & do a lot of hill walking\yomping with a big Bergan on my back, but never sure where to do it, any ideas?

hill runner

24/10/2002 at 13:30

Like all cross training it will benefit your basic fitness even though it is not specific training for a 10k (i presume road race??) It will also give you a break mentally and so is valuable in that respect.
I use hill walking as training for hill running events but I never count up the mileage. Some of my less successful long races have degenerated into long walks anyway!
Good luck and happy walking!

Psi

24/10/2002 at 21:44

Bootie, if I want to practice my tabbing skills I venture to the Peak District (ouch) or the Brecon Beacons (OUCH!)

If you're not already doing so, wear your webbing as well for the best training benefit. :)

Bootie

25/10/2002 at 11:39

Psi,
I take it your in the forces, which Regiment\force are you with>?

Claire Porter

25/10/2002 at 12:43

Bootie,
I go hill-walking in Kerry and Tipperary in Ireland (as these are my nearest mountains) - so just guessing (and it is a wild guess) you're from the South of England, the Lake District or Snowdonia would be good places to go.

Claire Porter

25/10/2002 at 12:55

Thanks for all your replies.
The only difficulty is that it messes my running miles up!
I was aiming to do 30 miles a week running, and have only done 17 miles this week.
The last weeks did, 30 miles, then 27 miles respectively.
So here I am, ready to spend the weekend hill-walking.
But I am left feeling that maybe I am not doing as many miles as I intended to ready for the 10K. I know it will be unlikely that I fit in running on the days that I hill-walk. But maybe I should, if I want a good result in December.

Bootie

25/10/2002 at 14:36

Claire,
Thanks.
Is it obvious that Im from the South of England then?, feel some sarcasm ;)

Psi

26/10/2002 at 01:32

Bootie, just TA. But that's only while I'm at university (mature student). Regulars when I graduate. :)

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